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Updated: Oct 21, 2025

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Published on: February 6, 2019
Dose calculation accuracy in particle therapy: Comparing carbon ions with protons
Sirinya Ruangchan1,2, Hugo Palmans3,4, Barbara Knäusl1,3
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
This study validated carbon ion dose calculations in a treatment planning system (TPS) using heterogeneous phantoms. While accurate within targets, discrepancies behind targets highlight potential risks for organs at risk.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiation Oncology
- Radiotherapy Physics
Background:
- Accurate dose calculation is crucial for effective radiotherapy.
- Carbon ion therapy offers potential advantages but requires precise dose verification.
- Treatment planning systems (TPS) need validation in complex geometries.
Purpose of the Study:
- Validate an analytical pencil beam dose calculation algorithm for carbon ions in a commercial TPS.
- Assess the algorithm's performance in heterogeneous phantom geometries.
- Compare carbon ion dose calculations with proton therapy calculations.
Main Methods:
- Used RayStation TPS for treatment plan optimization and dose calculation.
- Compared TPS calculations with ionization chamber array measurements.
- Investigated 10 heterogeneous test cases with varying tissue compositions and configurations.
Main Results:
- Mean dose difference within the target volume was 1.6% for carbon ions, within clinical tolerance.
- Agreement within the target was comparable or better than proton therapy calculations.
- Significant dose discrepancies (>10%) observed behind heterogeneities, with carbon ions overpredicting dose.
Conclusions:
- Carbon ion dose calculations in RayStation are accurate within target volumes in heterogeneous media.
- Discrepancies outside the target may lead to inaccurate dose predictions for organs at risk.
- Further investigation is needed for dose calculations behind complex heterogeneities.
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